Manga Classics: Sherlock Holmes – A Study in Scarlet

The Manga Classics line has released its first full-color title, and it’s one dear to my heart, as it’s the first Sherlock Holmes story. Manga Classics: Sherlock Holmes – A Study in Scarlet, originally written by Arthur Conan Doyle, is adapted by Crystal S. Chan and illustrated by Julien Choy.

It’s faithful to the source material, with authentic language and setting, although the characters are, obviously, manga-styled. Sherlock Holmes’ wild hair, as seen on the cover, is often in a ponytail, and more scandalously, he’s bare-chested at the breakfast table, in an open dressing gown.

There are a few minor added scenes, usually involving violin playing, to develop and make clear the friendship between Holmes and Dr. John Watson. The biggest change is the truncation of the Mormon flashback sequence. In the original novel, it takes up almost half the book, as Doyle loved his “foreign” adventure stories. Here, it’s about eight pages of flashback (delivered after a fight scene action sequence), a much more palatable approach to the modern reader.

Overall, this is a great choice for introducing the characters and story to new readers or giving familiar fans a fun new approach. I enjoyed the fresh take on this classic, and I was glad to see mention at the end of more planned to come.